The “Freak show” trick to getting almost guaranteed engagement

One of my favorite “marketing” books is called: “Mail-Order Mysteries” The author, pop-culture historian Kirk Demarais, goes through some 150 products he bought from direct response comicbook ads back in the 60s, 70’s, and 80’s. Everything from authentic laser-gun plans, x-ray specs, and even 7-foot-tall monsters with glow-in-the-dark eyes… to 100 Toy Soldiers in a Footlocker… to Count Dante’s World’s Deadliest Fighting Secrets… to Hypno-Coins, Life-Size Monsters, Sea Monkeys, Soil From Dracula’s Castle, and a ho’ bunch more. Spoiler: Very few did anything near what they promised. All the ads are well-worth studying, though. (The products sold, not so much) But, one offer that was especially useful to read about was a book called: “Very Special People” It was a 400-page book about… the abnormal. Like, for example The Elephant Man (it was written by the author of the popular book The Elephant Man), the original Siamese twins, “Hop” The frog boy, the Mule-Faced Woman, the Elastic Skin Man, The Heaviest Man in the World, The Tallest Man in the World, Living Skeletons (ooh yeah!), Fat ladies, Bearded Ladies, and limbless men like Prince Randian the Caterpillar Man (who is pictured in the ad), and probably a bunch more. It was a smash success, too, from what I understand. The reason? Because people are irresistibly and morbidly drawn to freak shows. Case in point: Elaine’s dancing in the TV show Seinfeld or, for that matter, Taylor Swift's dancing everyone makes fun of. For a more down to earth example, take my Copy Troll book cover — which was intended to give people the creeps. It was inspired by a painting I saw in an hotel when speaking at one of Agora Financials’ offices many years ago, where the character in the dayem painting’s eyes followed me wherever I was in the room, and I couldn’t help but stare back and examine it. Anyway, freaky things are hard NOT to look at. We’re talking instant and probably near-guaranteed engagement. And it’s one of many reasons why the visual & design-side of marketing is both so potentially very powerful, yet so extremely underrated for whatever reason. You can potentially get a lot of engagement, sales, and new customers by tapping into forces like this. What you do with that engagement, of course, is what determines if you are going to be able to monetize it or not. Something to think about. If you want to learn some ways I approach the design-side of my business see the upcoming August Email Players 13-year anniversary issue. It’s double the size, and is like an unofficial “sequel” to my Markauteur book which is all about the visual & design-side of my business’ marketing universe of offers. And that ain’t all I’m sending those subscribed by the deadline. I’m also including with the August issue: “Email Players Annual #3: Copywriting Conversations with God” This 68-page oversized (literally — in both size and page count) Annual issue bonus exists outside the normal continuity of the newsletter. And I wrote it to both commemorate the newsletter’s 13-year anniversary and give my best boys & ghouls something that can help them navigate the withering inflation and failing economy using ancient wisdom for success, selling, and persuasion that goes back 100s and even 1000s of years that can work for nearly any kind of business — and whether you’re a sinner or saint, pagan or atheist, including even if you’re so fragile you call the cops or your therapist when someone so much as wishes you a Merry Christmas at Walmart. You can read more about that in the P.S. below if you choose. Otherwise, to subscribe by the deadline in a few days do this: 1. Go to the link below 2. Read the sales page carefully to know what you’re getting and what’s expected of you 3. Patiently wait for the August issue to arrive Here’s the link: []( Ben Settle P.S. Some of the secrets found inside the bonus Email Players Annual #3: Copywriting Conversations with God bonus I am sending with the August Email Players issue include: * A line in the book of Exodus that is, word-for-word, arguably the single most profitable marketing lesson ever written. (I first learned about this in 1999 when selling MLM and foolishly ignored it. But when I got into daily emails years later, it helped propel my business forward in ways and at a speed that, speed that, frankly, I still don't believe sometimes..) * How to trick your trolls & haters into ramping up your email inbox deliverability… and without them even realizing it. * Denzel Washington’s creepy insight into whether trolls and reply guys are just assholes or are actually possessed by demons. * The CS Lewis method to converting scoffers, doubters, and even hostile unbelievers in your offers to becoming some of your best and most loyal customers/clients. * A little-talked about way (discovered by brain scientists some years back, I believe, but don’t quote me on that) to write headlines and subject lines that are almost neurologically impossible to ignore. * The angry boomer secret Jesus Christ used to go viral — where people told everyone they knew about Him, spread the word about Him, and got people talking about Him. (I don’t know if he does it on purpose, but I notice Dan Kennedy does the exact same thing these days.) * A secret way of using Biblical genealogies to find out if a guru you want to buy from or hire is full of crap or not. * Persuasion secret of an Old Testament prophet who converted a bunch of devil worshippers who wanted to kill him. * How to get away with teaching and saying controversial things on woke and converged platforms (like YouTube, Facebook, the ever-growing list of ESPS, etc) that kick people off for saying anything that goes against the Narrative. * A Biblical persuasion method Jesus taught in the book of Luke that, 2000 years later, Bruce Barton (son of a preacher and the second “B” in the billion dollar BBDO advertising agency) used to convince US Steel to keep paying his company through the nose for advertising when they insisted on killing the contract. * The ingenious secret Jesus used to create the biggest and most influential religion in world history that has also been used by a controversial filmmaker to create some of the biggest and most influential films in cinema history. * A powerful secret for growing a better and more response email list that Old Testament farmers used for growing better and more abundant crops. * A totally violent & disturbing copywriting tactic that works like gangbusters to get attention… but that you should avoid reading if you have a weak stomach. * Ezekiel’s “dung eating” lesson for how to sell with stealth — and in a way that can work far better than just lobbing benefits and claims at your list. * What Genesis chapter 5 teaches about how to preserve your business and protect it from being “Rings of Power’d” by your heirs. * An eerie red flag (straight out of the book of John) to look for if you want to identify the rats, bad actors, and other treacherous “Judas” types when choosing who to do business with. * What to do if you want to “exorcise” trolls and reply guys off your list. (Hint: Jesus, the Apostles, and Old Testament figures were never “nice” to evil — they always got rough with them, cast them out, rebuked them, and in Old Testament days even beheaded them!) * What the Bible says about how to go from always being scared of what’s going on in the world to having the world scared of you. * The violent lesson found right inside the book of Revelation about having a tight, responsive, and profitable email list. * One word that can help rile up large segments of your list (and it’s not even profanity) when you have to get their attention and nothing else you try works. * Advice to businesses who sell MLM offers who don’t want to be shunned and laughed at by friends, family, and peers. Real life story about this: There was once a party full of elites and A-list celebrities in Hollywood, yet everyone was gathered around a little old unassuming lady waiting in line to talk to her. The reason they loved her and ignored the celebrities? Because she was a sex therapist… no, I’m not saying to talk about sex in your marketing. That would be missing the point. But inside you’ll see a way to tap into the same force of persuasion the old lady did to potentially be “the person” people wants to consult about whatever your offers do vs being the person everyone avoids.) Anyway, there’s a lot more in this 68-page “Annual” edition. And you can read it free, my 13-year Email Players anniversary gift to you, simply by being subscribed to Email Players by the deadline on the last day of July. Here’s the link: []( This email was sent by Ben Settle as owner of Settle, LLC. Copyright © 2024 Settle, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this email may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from Settle, LLC. Click here to [unsubscribe]( Settle, LLC PO Box 1056 Gold Beach Oregon 97444 USA